Santaris Pharma establishes US operation
Denmark-based Santaris Pharma, which develops RNA-based drugs targeted to disease-related mRNAs and microRNAs, has established operations in the US.
Denmark-based Santaris Pharma, which develops RNA-based drugs targeted to disease-related mRNAs and microRNAs, has established operations in the US.
The company has appointed RNA expert Art Levin, formerly senior vice president of drug development at Isis Pharmaceuticals in the US, as president and chief development officer of its new US business.
"His wealth of RNA-based research and development experience and industry knowledge will be instrumental in leveraging the company's proprietary locked nucleic acid chemistry and drug discovery engine to explore new licensing opportunities and scientific collaborations, increase visibility with capital markets and attract leading scientists," said Soren Tulstrup, president and chief executive of Santaris Pharma.
Santaris has a drug development pipeline that includes programmes to treat metabolic disorders, infectious and inflammatory diseases, cancer and rare genetic disorders.
Santaris claims to be the first company to advance a microRNA-targeted therapy into human clinical trials. A single-dose Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers has now been completed and an additional Phase 1 multiple ascending dose study is planned.
Last month, Santaris announced a multi-year worldwide collaboration with Shire to discover and develop RNA-based medicines to treat rare genetic disorders using Santaris Pharma's proprietary LNA drug platform. This adds to mRNA and microRNA drug discovery and development partnerships with Wyeth, GlaxoSmithKline and Enzon Pharmaceuticals.